Skin and Bones
by Author-chan
Summary: Life, Death, and Death again. That was the pattern of Shinta's existance. As child damned before he was given a chance, he is forced to recreate himself as a monster over and over...
1. Priest

Author-chan's notes: This is probably the most screwed up ideas in the universe. It's also pretty original (for a fanfiction). Anyway, even if this is a messed up idea, I'm going to play around with it to see if anyone will like it. I'll consider this to be a test of my writing skills. Man, but I am _so_ twisted…

This chapter is dedicated to **Mizamour**, who was one of the first to read this fic and endorse it. Thank you very much!

Disclaimer: _Rurouni Kenshin,_ created by Watsuki Nobuhiro, is not owned by Author-chan. However, plot, twisted ideas, and original characters are owned by Author-chan.

Skin and Bones

(Chapter One: Priest)

_A long time ago, a devout Buddhist priest went up to the mountains to pray and meditate._

_He went alone._

_Before long, his loneliness became too much and he longed for a companion. So, collecting the bones of men fallen in battle, the priest used his skills and his holy powers to create a living being._

_The priest called the technique _Hangon. _For subsequent generations, the technique was fiercely guarded, both treasured and feared._

_None had expected for Hangon to be used again. And, for awhile, it was forgotten to all save for a select few._

_But nearly two decades before the fall of the Tokugawa, the Heavens demanded for it to be revived._

**qpqpqpqp**

_Year: Kaei 6; 1853 A.D._

_Jingle…Jingle…_

Hayato walked down the road, brown dust swirling around him like smoke in the wind. The brown particles clung to his robes and sweetly ringing staff turning them dusty and dirty. Hayato's own pitch black hair had been unwillingly dyed an earthy tone by fault of the dust. He was road-weary, tired, hungry, and thirsty beyond all belief.

Before long, Hayato found himself in the middle of a small farming village as young children and their sun-tanned, work-roughened parents watched his progress through the village, whispers trailing him.

"A priest!"

"A monk!"

"Houshi-sama!"

The villagers easily recognized the robes that clothed Hayato, despite the dust that had discolored them, and they knew the tinkling of his ringed staff.

Hayato was only mildly surprised at the whispers. He was young for a Buddhist monk, and on top of that, was a traveler. It was only natural that the villagers be curious.

He had long gotten over jumping at the merest curiosity or prod. He and his tainted secret were safe.

"Houshi-sama!" a loud voice, though strained with age, hailed him. Hayato paused, bowing to greet the speaker, an old man, no doubt one of the village Elders.

"Elder," Hayato replied politely, "What might I help you with?"

"You are just in time, Houshi-sama," the Elder began, gesturing for Hayato to follow him, "There has been a death. We need someone to administer last rites."

"I see," Hayato nodded, "How long ago?"

"…Two weeks."

"Two weeks?.!" Hayato gasped, "Surely there was another to administer last rites! You did not have to wait for me. Why, that poor soul…Why did you not do the burial sooner?"

"We would have liked to," the old man muttered darkly, "but the parents would not allow it."

"A child?" Hayato murmured, quickly inferring a few things, "It is tragic to lose a child…"

"Hai," the Elder agreed, "But even so, the child's parents are refusing to give the child last rites! They have become delusional! They believe the child is still living in the house. Not that I would be surprised. Little hellion probably became a vengeful spirit…"

"Elder!" Hayato admonished shocked at the scornful tone of the other man, "Do not speak of the dead in such a way!"

The elder was silent before he paused in front of a small hut and gestured for Hayato to enter.

"Talk some sense into them," the Elder demanded briskly. Hayato nodded and entered the hut alone.

The first thing that Hayato noticed was the lack of smell. If a dead body had been in there for two weeks, surely there would have been a stench…

He glanced quickly around the room. The room was rather bare. A fire place in the middle, a box for storage in one corner, with folded up futons stashed away in another corner. There was a young couple sitting near another corner, dressed in peasant clothing. Both husband and wife were small in stature and very slight, as if built from reeds. The husband had dark hair and tanned skin, a common enough trait among farmers, but his eyes were an odd light brown and when the sun's rays hit them in the right angle, they almost appeared to be the color of warm honey. The wife had pretty features framed with brown hair and a face far too delicate for her rough life. Like her husband, she too had unusual eyes: violet, like wisteria blooming.

"Please for give me for intruding," Hayato apologized, bowing politely to the couple before them.

"Houshi-sama," the husband murmured, bowing his head in greeting, "We were told that you would come."

Hayato paused, slightly put back at the simple statement. How had they had known he was coming? He had only just arrived.

'_Cleansing breath,'_ Hayato though, breathing deeply to clear his mind. Focusing himself, Hayato tried to see, to observe the unseen situation at hand.

Firs, no scent of rotting flesh. Unless the parents had had placed the child's body outside, which was doubtful since the Elder mentioned that the parents believed the child to still be alive.

Hayato understood the parents' grief. Sometimes it was hard to accept the loss of a loved one. Denial was only natural, part of human nature. He saw it all the time. He experienced it himself.

Willing himself away from old memories and returning to his observations, the monk noticed the absolute calmness of the couple before him. They had known he was to come to them. It was eerie how confident they were.

"Where is the child?" Hayato murmured, resting steady eyes on the pair before him.

"Here," the wife murmured, moving aside to reveal a small form lying on a futon, previously hidden by the bodies of the couple.

Hayato kneeled down to observe the body, more confusion swirling over him. The Elder said the child had been dead for two weeks. But there was no smell, no rot…no…flesh. All there was were pale white bones, bleached from the sun. But surely there would have been _some_ flesh! Unless the parents had cut off the meat and disposed of it…But that was unlikely as well. The skeleton was whole and unblemished, well cared for.

The wife's visage softened gently, her light colored eyes warm as she gazed at the pale bones. Long fingers gently brushed over the small skull, the movement instinctual, casual.

No, this couple would never have though of desecrating their child's body in any way. They loved the child too much.

Then why were there only bones?

"Can you help him, Houshi-sama?" the wife asked softly, fretting over the bones as only a mother could.

"Help?" Hayato croaked, surprised. It was too late for help! "I was sent her to administer last rites."

"Our child is not dead!" the husband snarled, his sun-kissed eyes flashing.

"Anata, please!" the wife cried out, clutching her husband's arm to calm him, "Houshi-sama doesn't know what we know."

"I would like to be informed," Hayato said gently, trying to humor the distraught parents, "Please."

There was a moment of silence between the couple.

"…We were told that you would come," the husband began slowly, "you can help us save our little boy."

"How so?" Hayato asked, fear knotting his stomach. There was something wrong here, something that stirred a memory he would have liked to have forgotten.

Bones. It couldn't be…

"Hangon," the wife whispered, looking up at Hayato confirming his worse fear.

"Y-you can be serious!" Hayato gasped, standing up sharply, "How did you know? How you know of Hangon? How did you know that _I_ knew Hangon?"

"We were told that you could help us, Houshi-sama," the husband replied calmly, "We were told that you know Hangon."

"It is a forbidden technique," Hayato growled, his eyes flaming angrily, "For good reason. Humans should never delude themselves into believing they are gods!"

"But it was a god who told us of you!" the wife yelled, losing her composure, "It was a god who turned my dead child into bones for you to resurrect!"

Hayato was struck dumb. There had been no insincerity in the wife's voice, no lie. There was no taste of deception in the air.

How else would these people have known he was coming? How else would these people have known of his knowledge of Hangon? It must have been some sort of higher power. _No one_ knew of Hangon.

'_Cleansing breath.'_

"I-I must meditate on this," Hayato murmured.

"Understood," the husband agreed, "You may stay with us."

"Domo arigato," Hayato nodded.

**qpqpqpqp**

It was disturbing. Hayato had no other way of describing it. Like most huts, the structure he was in was small, so he was forced to meditate next to the bones of the child.

However, it was not the closeness of the remains that put him off. Nor was it the fact that the parents had knowledge of his secret sin, the ritual of Hangon that was branded in his brain. It was everything else.

Fishing poles leaned against the corner. Did the child and its father go fishing often? Did they enjoy their time together? There was a basket of clothes needing mending and a half finished child's yukata. Was the mother making it for her child? Was the child excited for a new gift?

Hayato tried not to hyperventilate.

There was a painted top on the floor, a toy clearly loved and played with often. It looked abandoned, lost without its playmate.

It was disturbing, this hut, no doubt about it. Hayato was surrounded by things that no doubt belonged to the bones lying oh so quietly on the futon beside the monk.

'_Cleansing breath,'_ Hayato thought to himself, trying to focus on his meditation, rather than the constant reminder of a life cut short, a life he had the power to restore.

'_Iie,'_ Hayato admonished himself, '_I am no god, no giver of life. I am only a man. Even the holiest of monks could never perfect Hangon. Every being brought back using that accursed technique has been warped. Why, only three hundred years ago there was that fiasco with that resurrected girl who ate raw livers…'_

Sighing quietly to himself, Hayato forced himself to meditate.

Gracefully, like a fish sliding into crystal water, Hayato fell into a trance.

There was no time.

There was no space.

There was nothing to bind him.

There was only peace and a deep connection to the universe.

Hayato became more than himself, his spirit stretching and reaching out. Hayato's awareness was filling the hut, threatening to spill over.

'_Hello.'_

Hayato almost lost his concentration at the gentle greeting. Carefully gathering himself, he probed again.

'_Hello,'_ the same voice greeted.

'_Hello,' _Hayato replied, only slightly surprised. While he did not often encounter spirits, he did know how to communicate with them.

'_What are you doing here, sir?'_ the voice asked innocently. With a start, Hayato realized the spirit was very young, probably no more than five years old, if that, considering there was still an androgynous quality to it that all children possessed.

It must have been the spirit of the child whose bones he sat next to.

'_I should ask you the same thing, little one,'_ Hayato replied softly, '_What happened to you?'_

'_I got sick,'_ the spirit answered honestly.

'_Sou ka?' _Hayato murmured, '_You know that your parents miss you, ne?'_

'_Hai,'_ the child replied, and Hayato could almost see a bobbing nod, '_Are they alright?'_

Hayato was amazed. The child was dead, but instead was worried about the parents' well being.

'_Yes,'_ Hayato answered, '_They want me to bring you back.'_

'_Oh,' _the child said, '…_Do, do you want to bring be back?'_

'_I'm not sure,' _Hayato replied, frowning softly.

This child was no hellion, like the elder suggested. A few gentle explorations and Hayato could tell the child was quite the little innocent. A pure soul like none he had ever seen.

But Hangon was dangerous. Those brought back by it tended to have…problems. Eating raw flesh was a must for these undead, and most were violent.

But then again, many of those brought back by Hangon had been violent when they were alive to begin with. And raw flesh wasn't that bad…it was only uncooked. Besides, sashimi and sushi were mostly raw, though light seared.

'_Sir?'_

'_Yes, child?'_

'_Are you going to leave me?' _

Hayato paused. '_Are you lonely?'_

'…_Yes. But kami-sama comes to visit.' _

'_Kami-sama?'_ Hayato questioned, remembering his conversation with the parents.

They had mentioned something of a kami as well.

Hayato had no more time to ponder this, however, for then, there was a blinding light.

**qpqpqpqp**

Nearly an hour later, Hayato snapped out of his trance with a gasp, spots dancing across his eyes still.

"Are you alright, Houshi-sama?"

Hayato blinked glazed yes up at the speaker. The husband and wife looked at him expectantly, worry coming off of them in waves.

Hayato took several breaths, willing himself not to vomit. His senses were still overly sensitized after…after…

"I saw," Hayato gasped, struggling to speak.

"Our child?" the wife inquired, hopeful.

"Yes," Hayato nodded, slowly calming himself, "But I also saw the kami."

Hayato winced, remembering the blinding light. It had been an intense experience. Light and darkness and unbelievable power… Hayato was shocked he was still alive. He had thought the very flesh would be peeled from his bones. But the child…The child danced among those beings of power as if he did it daily, did it often.

"Your child is…quite blessed," Hayato murmured to the parents, "The kami favor him greatly."

The husband merely nodded, his hand clasping his wife's as both looked at Hayato, hope shining in their eyes.

Hayato sighed running a hand through his hair.

"I need to collect ingredients," the monk said bluntly.

"What for?"

"For the Hangon ritual," Hayato replied, standing up with a slight groan.

"Yo-you'll do it?" the husband gaped.

"Apparently the Heavens demand it," Hayato sighed glancing at the bones on the futon, "Your child has a destiny. I don't know what though."

"Thank you, Hoshi-sama," the wife whispered, her eyes tearing, "For saving our child, arigato gozaimasu."

She bowed, then, low enough as if Hayato was the emperor himself. Hayato flushed lightly at the respect.

"Please, onna-san," Hayato murmured, "It is my duty. No thanks are necessary. But please, grant me one request."

"Anything," came the breathless, almost awed whisper.

"Tell me the child's name."

"Hai," the wife smiled warmly, "Houshi-sama, let us introduce you to our son, Shinta."

"Shinta…"

-

Glossary:

Tokugawa: the family name of the shogunate that ruled from 1604-1868

Hoshi-sama: a respectful title for a Buddhist monk

Anata: "you"; also used as a form of endearment used by a wife to address a husband

Domo arigato: "Thank you" (respectful)

Yukata: a light summer kimono usually made of cotton

Iie: "no"

Sou ka: approx. "Is that so?" or "I see"

Hai: "yes"

Kami-sama: "Lord god"

Kami: "god" or "gods"

Arigato gozaimasu: "thank you" (extremely respectful, normally used when someone saves your life or equivalent to that)

Onna-san: used here as "ma'am"

Author-chan's notes: End Ch. 1!

Next chapter: More on the mysterious Hangon technique, Shinta's revival, and consequences. See you then!


	2. Hangon

Author-chan's notes: Hello again everyone! I'm so happy that I got such positive feedback for this story. Thank you.

Enjoy Ch. 2!

Skin and Bones

(Chapter Two: Hangon)

_Hangon was never meant to be widely used. That was the rule. As a result, even the monks that protected the sealed scrolls containing the flowing script outlining the technique had no knowledge of Hangon._

_Hangon was ignored and almost forgotten._

_On occasions, rare occasions, a monk guarding the Hangon scrolls would study them, the accursed technique branding itself in the mind._

_Those who were discovered studying Hangon were punished. Those discovered practicing it..._

_...Even Buddhist monks could show no mercy_

**qpqpqpqp**

_Year: Kaei 6; 1853 A.D._

Hayato was nervous, an uncommon feeling for him. However, it was understandable, considering what he was attempting. The last practitioner of Hangon had lived nearly 200 years ago and still the legends of his punishment were used to inflict terror upon young monks at the temple.

Hayato shivered, visions of torture dancing through his mind. If any of his fellow monks caught him…Hayato barely left the temple without anyone realizing he had read the scrolls on the technique. He still had no idea how he had been able to avoid anyone from knowing about his secret sin. The punishment he escaped for even reading the scroll was terrible; the sheer number of lashes made Hayato's back ache just by thinking about it. The punishment for studying the technique and knowing it was even worse.

As for actually performing Hangon? Hayato didn't even want to think about that. He considered it a miracle that his knowledge had not been discovered.

Why had he learned the technique to begin with? If he hadn't learned Hangon, then he wouldn't be in this situation in the first place! He had been compelled to learn the technique during one of his meditations, and he was smart enough to understand a hint from the universe when he got one.

He wondered if the kami had a hand in that.

"Yare, yare," Hayato sighed out loud, "There is no fighting kami."

Hayato and Shinta's parents had secretly moved the boy's bones out of the hut. In a forest clearing, a few miles away from the village, the three of them carefully reassembled Shinta's skeleton. If any of the bones were misplaced or lost, there would be problems for Shinta later in his second life.

It was difficult, to say the least. Shinta was still very young, so his bones were rather small. Hayato took an especially long time reassembling the boy's hands, the minute-sized bones hard to work with.

Finally, the last bone was set. Hayato couldn't help but muse about how lonely the skeleton looked lying there without its skin. But what was truly strange was the feel of Shinta's spirit brushing over his senses. His eyes saw Shinta's remains on the ground before him, but his spiritual awareness argued that the child was drifting quietly next to the three adults, the tendrils of Shinta's spirit wrapping around Hayato's fingers, scared and looking for guidance. Hayato couldn't stop his hand from curling around the almost there, almost real, presence that was begging silently for reassurance.

'_Hush, little one,'_ Hayato projected towards the soul in his fingers, '_Relax.'_

'_Scared…'_ whispered the abstract voice that was not a voice that made no sound.

'_Everything will be alright,' _Hayato promised.

Hayato wondered it the child was having a strange double feeling. Shinta was there…but not there. It must have been a very odd feeling. Did Shinta (the spirit) feel anything of his bones? Could Shinta feel it when Hayato and Shinta's parents reassembled the bones? Did it hurt? Or not?

Hayato shook his head and faced the parent, "I'll be performing the ritual soon. You need to leave."

"Why?" the husband asked, "We want to be here when Shinta wakes up."

"I understand," Hayato replied, "But this is for your safety, as well as Shinta's."

"…Very well," the husband agreed reluctantly, leading his wife away, "Take care of our child, Hoshi-sama."

Hayato was no idiot. He knew the difference between a request and an order.

Sighing to himself, Hayato spoke to the now empty clearing, "We are alone now."

And he was promptly knocked off his feet by the sheer force that answered him.

Hayato grit his teeth, trying not to scream at the powerful voice passing over him in waves as the kami voiced their acknowledgment. As it was, the monk was forced onto his knees, his whole face depicting agony. This was no child's voice of light and innocence. This was power in its purest form.

Kami were by no means gentle.

'_Sir! Daijoubu ka?' _Shinta's light spirit voice yelped, surprised and worried. The boy's spirit twined about Hayato's body, offering the older male support. Hayato smiled through the pain, thankful for the small kindness.

"Daijoubu," Hayato gasped, wincing slight, "We need to get started."

Hayato could feel the uncertainty coming off of Shinta in waves. Hayato smiled calmly towards the young spirit before turning his senses to the infinite light and power of the kami.

"K-Kami-sama," Hayato hailed, unable to keep the trembling from his voice, "Please, we s-seek your help and guidance!"

When Hayato had first met Shinta and the kami, he was constantly hit by surprises, one of which was the kami's request.

They wanted him to perform Hangon.

Needless to say, Hayato had been shocked. Why would kami need a mere mortal to reanimate the dead when they themselves could do it?

That was the ultimate surprise, Hayato believed, to discover kami couldn't do everything. There were rules in their Heavenly world, rules that forbade them from doing everything they wished.

As a result, Hayato was given the task of reviving a child that the kami favored. Hayato couldn't help but wonder what the kami wanted from Shinta. They had not been so kind as to give him privy to such information. However, whatever it was, it must have been something big since, not one, but several kami watched over the boy.

Under the supervision of the kami (how many were there, Hayato wondered, sometimes feeling one divine presence then in the next instant, hundreds) the monk began the Hangon technique.

But there were some differences. The kami had Hayato substitute a few elements during the ritual. A few added chanted words, a little less strawberry leaves rubbed on the bones…

Hayato was thankful for the help, automatically knowing that each change was beneficial to Shinta. Hangon was not a prefect technique and a kami's help was greatly appreciated and helpful. After all, kami were lords of life.

Though Hayato did wish they would speak more quietly to him. The power in their "voices" made his head spin.

When the first step of the ritual was complete, Hayato stood back to observe his handy work.

There was a pot still half full of boiling water, herbs floating on the surface. Hayato had doused the skeleton with the herb infested water, by request of the kami rather than painting the bones with arsenic as was the usual procedure. Different kinds of leaves had been rubbed on the soaked bones, and there were various blessings that had been uttered, enough that Hayato felt faintly parched from all the speaking.

Yes, the procedure he had done on Shinta was bit different than the technique outlined on the scrolls, but still the basics and the effect were the same. The once bare bones had begun growing flesh, slowly but surely. At the moment, there was only what looked like wet red mold clinging to the arms and legs.

'_Cleansing breath,_' Hayato thought, breathing deeply to center himself. It was time for step two of the Hangon ritual.

The second step was the trickiest part of Hangon and was, unsurprisingly, the one that often gone astray. Hayato was to bring back the spirit and place it into the body. Luckily, Shinta's spirit was already there, so half of the work was already complete. However, Hayato needed an "anchor". Without a good anchor between the body and soul, the body would fall apart within a few days. In the original Hangon technique, the anchor was an internal organ, usually a liver.

Hayato's eyes narrowed. Where would he get a proper sized liver at this time?

Then the kami began speaking to him again.

When they finally finished speaking, Hayato was lying eagle-spread on the ground, panting and sweating.

'_Sir!'_ Shinta's anxious spirit voice floated over to the monk.

"S-Shinta-kun," Hayato gasped, slowly struggling to his feet, "What are you doing? Get into the body!"

'_Demo…'_

"I'm fine, now GO!"

There was a pause and then Hayato felt Shinta's spirit slowly trickle into the half formed body. Rubbing his temples and standing on shaking feet, Hayato reached into his robes, feeling for the object he knew the kami had placed there. When his questing fingers met a warm, gently yielding object, he pulled it out.

In his hand was a blood-red heart.

'_Cleansing breath…'_

Hayato shouldn't have been surprised. The kami had told him about this, that they would provide an anchor for Shinta's soul. But knowing and seeing were two different things.

And it was not everyday you held the heart of a kami.

With only slightly trembling fingers, Hayato placed the heart within Shinta's ribcage, sensing it instantly when the body and soul were once again tied together.

Sitting down on the cold ground, Hayato only had to wait for Shinta's body to finish forming. He watched, for awhile, as the body firmed, but had to turn away after only a few minutes to retch. Watching internal organs, muscles, skin, flesh, and hair grow was not his view of enjoyment.

Instead, Hayato thought back on the (few) other Hangon incidents over the ages.

Hangon was never a perfect technique. Since its creation, Hangon had been riddled with errors. Most of those brought back by Hangon returned to bones after only a few weeks but there were a few that had lasted longer.

During the Sengoku Era, the Warring States Era, there had been a revived miko brought back by a demon using a form of the Hangon technique. The dead miko lived for several years and had survived numerous situations that would have destroyed a normal human. There were even some rumors that she still lived today.

But then again, she had survived by feeding off the souls of the recently dead.

Then, in the early Edo period, there was a young child who had been brought back using the traditional form of Hangon. The child had lasted for several decades, un-aging and practically immortal until the monk who had created her pulled out the mermaid's liver that had animated the girl.

And the girl had eaten raw livers to sustain her undead body.

In both these cases, supernatural forces has been at work, not just the powers of man, and both of the revived humans had to use some sort of outside source to sustain themselves. In Shinta's case, supernatural forces had a hand in his revival; the kami had even gone so far as to offer the boy a heart of one of their own to anchor his soul to the world of the living. Distantly, Hayato wondered which kami had donated the heart, but decided it mattered little. Hayato could guess easily that, like his predecessors, Shinta would be difficult to kill. The kami had also outlined a few things for Hayato to help the monk understand what would happen next.

One: Shinta would not become ageless. He would grow and age as if alive, but at a certain point, the aging process would slow down, maybe even stop.

Two: It was highly unlikely Shinta would be the victim of a life-threatening disease ever again.

Three: Shinta would have to eat raw flesh. There was simply nothing around that (Well, Hayato had thought, it was better than devouring souls.) About half a pound once a week was good enough and Shinta could still eat other food.

Hayato sighed and prayed he hadn't made a mistake. Shinta would have a rough time fitting in, to be sure. Yare, yare, it should not be so bad as long as Shinta didn't advertise his state. Hayato had faith in the boy.

'_I just hope he can live a normal life after this,_' Hayato thought with a sigh.

After a few minutes (though it could have been mere seconds or long hours) Hayato heard some moaning behind him. Turing swiftly, Hayato knelt down to help Shinta up, seeing the boy in the flesh for the first time.

Short, pale, and redhead, Shinta stuck out like a sore thumb in an Asian community. It was no wonder the Elder had spoken so cruelly about the child! Abnormalities were rare and not often tolerated, especially by the more conservative. Hayato couldn't help but wonder where the boy had gotten the red hair, since both of his parents were dark-haired. But there was no question that the boy belonged to the gentle couple Hayato had met. The boy had the same violet eyes, slight build, and delicate cheekbones as his mother, but the nose, lips, and arch of the brow was clearly that of the father.

"Shinta-kun?" Hayato murmured, softly as he produced a blanket to wrap up the boy's naked form.

"S-Sir?" Shinta croaked, clearly recognizing Hayato's voice. Hayato smiled gently.

"I am Hayato."

"Hayato," Shinta repeated slowly, trying out the name, "Kaa-chan, Tou-chan?"

"I'll take you to them," Hayato offered, picking up the disoriented child.

"Hai," Shinta nodded, his eyes beginning to droop.

Hayato smiled as the child fell asleep, and his heart realized something.

He had made the right choice to bring this child back.

**qpqpqpqp**

Hayato was a good man. But he was too trusting. Or perhaps he wasn't curious enough.

He should have asked the kami "why".

**qpqpqpqp**

After Shinta's resurrection, it was agreed upon by both Hayato and Shinta's parents that the small family could no longer live in the village. Shinta had been dead not too long ago and his reappearance would bring about questions that the family did not want to answer. Shinta's mother was saddened to leave the village of her birth, but did not protest much knowing it was best for her child. Her husband had simply said of the village, "Good riddance."

So the small family packed up their meager belongings and traveled with Hayato to another village he knew well. Hayato, knowing that he had created a huge impact on the family, was reluctant to leave them. He felt responsible for them, in a way, especially for little four-year-old Shinta. Hayato couldn't believe Shinta to be a mere four. His short body and slightly pudgy cheeks told his eyes that the boy was three, yet when Shinta spoke, Hayato's ears argued that the child must be five or six. It was very confusing at times.

As Hayato traveled with the small family, he couldn't help but become attached to them. Soon, Shinta's parents were also "Kaa-san" and "Tou-san" to him and "Shinta-kun" transformed into a more affectionate "Shinta-ototou". To Shinta, Hayato was "Nee-chan", which always caused Hayato to be unsure whether he should wince or smile. Although Hayato tried to convince Shinta to say "Nii-chan" instead, the child insisted, more stubborn than rocks. Shinta was very set in his ways. Either that or the little imp was teasing him. After awhile, Hayato gave up entirely and began to accept that he would be "Big Sister" forever more. After a few more days, he could even laugh about it.

In the end, it was a good thing that Hayato had incorporated himself into the family. When they finally arrived in the village, the habitants there did not question the small family, seeming to write them off as "Houshi-sama's family". Hayato sometimes found that odd. He was, after all, fifteen, only a few years younger than the couple that he called "Kaa-san" (she was nineteen) and "Tou-san" (he was twenty-two). Surely they would have noticed that…

And then, in other times, Hayato simply passed it off as the divine will of the kami.

Hayato found himself enjoying the family life there at that little village. Tou-san and Kaa-san were wonderful farmers. Through their hard work and dedication, nearly everything they planted sprouted and flourished. As a result of their success in the fields, the local villagers were glad of the family's help in bringing in the crops, and readily accepted them. Shinta-chan helped as much as he could, carrying the seed basket and pulling up weeds.

He was such a lively child. It was hard to believe that he had ever been dead. Sometimes Hayato would even forget. But then Tou-san would present little Shinta with a freshly killed bird with the feathers still clinging to the body, and the red-haired boy would devour the raw flesh the same way Hayato did with grilled fish.

None of the other villagers knew of Shinta's "condition". The family was very careful to hide Shinta's "eating habits". The boy himself was smart enough to obey his parents' orders to hide his secret.

Shinta really was such a good boy.

Sometimes at night, Hayato would wonder, what was it that the kami wanted from Shinta? What task did they have for him? Shinta was only a child after all…

'_But children grow…'_

Hayato sighed. There was no point in wondering about the future. It was best to worry about the future when it came.

Hayato never was the most curious of human beings.

Months passed, and the icy flower of winter blossomed across the region.

Before Hayato knew it, he received word from his temple, and the quiet family life he had built with Shinta's family evaporated like water.

The temple had not discovered Hayato's use of Hangon. That was a relief. However, there was a disturbance elsewhere in the country and the temple needed as many monks there as possible.

That included Hayato.

So with a heavy heart, Hayato bid the small family goodbye, promising profusely that he would return soon.

Shinta had protested loudly as only a child could. Kaa-san had tried to convince him to wait until winter was over before leaving, but the temple's orders were resolute. Hayato had to leave. Tou-san, who had apparently come down with some sort of cold during the winter, had been unable to get out of bed to see the monk off.

However, when the older man turned his fever-bright amber eyes at Hayato they were sharp with something other than sickness.

Giving the family one last goodbye, Hayato headed down the road, only looking back once to promise he would see them all again.

The monk didn't know then that his promise would never be kept…

Glossary:

Yare, yare: "oh well", "oh bother", "if it must be so", etc.

Kami: god or gods

Houshi-sama: a respectful way of addressing a Buddhist monk

Daijoubu (ka): "Are you alright?"/"I'm alright"

-sama: "lord" or "lady"; used to indicate respect

-kun: used to address boys/young men; also used by a superior addressing an inferior

Sengoku/Warring States Era: the time before the Tokugawa shogunate; there was near constant civil wars (hence the name)

Edo Period: time of the Tokugawa shogunate; the "golden age" of Japan (1603-1868)

Hai: "yes"

Kaa-chan/Kaa-san: "mother"

Tou-chan/Tou-san: "father"

Ototou: "little (younger) brother"

Nee-chan: "big (elder) sister"

Nii-chan: "big (elder) brother"

Author-chan's notes: Thus ends chapter 2! Yes, I know I changed some things about the original Hangon ritual. _Shrugs_ Consider it poetic license. Besides, what little information I know about Hangon came from a certain manga.

I am indeed referencing two other anime in this chapter. Brownie points if you can guess which ones. (One of them is the manga that I got my info on Hangon from.) _Grin_

As for Shinta calling Hayato "Nee-chan" in the OAV when Kenshin is training with Hiko, he mentions a "Nee-chan". Now that could be referencing one of the three girls, Kasumi, Akane, or Sakura, but he called them all by their first names, not by "Nee-chan". So I'll just say he was referring to Hayato there. Yes, Shinta is a little prankster for calling Hayato "Nee-chan"…

Next Chapter: Disease

Please look forward to it.


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